The present invention relates to exercising apparatus in general and to a portable exercise device in particular.
In any good exercise regimen, attention must be given to toning of the muscles of the lower abdomen and thighs. To tone this area, health clubs generally offer a different machine for each of the hip abductor, hip abductor, hip flexion, hip extension, and lower abdominal muscles. Recognizing the prohibitive cost of providing a separate machine for each of these muscles for at-home use, exercise equipment suppliers have attempted with varying degrees of success to provide combination exercise devices for the home exercise market. U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,367 discloses a combination abductor/abductor exercise device, however, this device does not provide for exercising the abdominal muscles or the hip extensor/flexor muscles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,712 discloses a multipurpose exercising apparatus configurable to exercise the abductor and abductor muscles of the thigh, and certain chest muscles. Again, however, the device is not configurable to exercise the abdomen or hip flexor muscles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,425 discloses an exercise device sold commercially as the EZ KRUNCH.RTM. exercise device. This device exercises the abdomen and the thigh abductor muscles, which are used to hold the device in place, however, the abductor muscles are exercised isometrically and no provision is made for exercising the thigh abductor muscles.
Accordingly, what is needed is a portable exercise device suitable for at-home or health club use that is suitable for exercising all of the thigh abductor, thigh abductor, hip flexor, hip extensor, buttocks and abdominal muscles.